Michele Beckert1, Fernanda Loureiro2, Caroline Menta3, Elisa Fasolin Mello3, Eduardo L Nogueira4, Armin von Gunten5, Irênio Gomes6. 1. Psychologist, MD, Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil. 2. Speech Therapist, MD, PhD, Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil. 3. Psychiatrist, MD, Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil. 4. Psychiatrist, MD, PhD, Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil. 5. Psychiatrist, MD, Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil, and Old-Age Psychiatric Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. 6. Neurologist, MD, PhD, Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil.
Abstract
Along with cognitive disorders, depression has been a concern for mental health services due to its highly debilitating effect on the functioning and quality of life of the elderly. However, there is still little understanding of the cognitive alterations resulting from depression or of the difficult differential diagnosis with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It is known that performance on cognitive tests is strongly influenced by education but few studies have been conducted involving low-educated populations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of elders with low education and no dementia on Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) test and its cognitive domains, and compare patients with Current Major Depressive Episode (CMDE) against those without depressive symptoms. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional analytical study was conducted based on medical files of patients treated at the Cerebral Aging Clinic of the Hospital São Lucas of the PUCRS. The study included 116 individuals with low education (< 8 years of education) aged between 60 and 84 (69.6 ± 6.4) years, with MCDE (N = 41) and controls (N = 75). RESULTS: No significant difference was observed between control and MCDE groups in median scores on the ACE-R, Mini-Mental State Examination, and the five cognitive domains. There was also no difference between the groups on separate analyses of results on the clock drawing test, the categorical verbal and phonological fluency test, and the naming test. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that depressive symptoms did not influence scores on the ACE-R tests conducted in elders with low education.
Along with cognitive disorders, depression has been a concern for mental health services due to its highly debilitating effect on the functioning and quality of life of the elderly. However, there is still little understanding of the cognitive alterations resulting from depression or of the difficult differential diagnosis with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It is known that performance on cognitive tests is strongly influenced by education but few studies have been conducted involving low-educated populations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of elders with low education and no dementia on Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) test and its cognitive domains, and compare patients with Current Major Depressive Episode (CMDE) against those without depressive symptoms. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional analytical study was conducted based on medical files of patients treated at the Cerebral Aging Clinic of the Hospital São Lucas of the PUCRS. The study included 116 individuals with low education (< 8 years of education) aged between 60 and 84 (69.6 ± 6.4) years, with MCDE (N = 41) and controls (N = 75). RESULTS: No significant difference was observed between control and MCDE groups in median scores on the ACE-R, Mini-Mental State Examination, and the five cognitive domains. There was also no difference between the groups on separate analyses of results on the clock drawing test, the categorical verbal and phonological fluency test, and the naming test. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that depressive symptoms did not influence scores on the ACE-R tests conducted in elders with low education.
Authors: D C Steffens; I Skoog; M C Norton; A D Hart; J T Tschanz; B L Plassman; B W Wyse; K A Welsh-Bohmer; J C Breitner Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2000-06
Authors: Jerson Laks; Elienai Maria Rubim Batista; Elza Rocha Lima Guilherme; Ana L cia Barros Contino; Maria Eliete Vieira Faria; Ivan Figueira; Eliasz Engelhardt Journal: Arq Neuropsiquiatr Date: 2003-10-28 Impact factor: 1.420
Authors: M I Geerlings; R A Schoevers; A T Beekman; C Jonker; D J Deeg; B Schmand; H J Adèr; L M Bouter; W Van Tilburg Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 2000-06 Impact factor: 9.319